Best Museums in Buffalo

This waterfront museum, located across from First Niagara Center, salutes all branches of the United States Armed Forces, with special emphasis on veterans from Western New York. Visitors can tour a World War II submarine, a destroyer and a guided missile cruiser. There are military artifacts such as tanks, aircraft and memorabilia, including an interesting collection from the Polish Armed Forces.

For decades, equipment used by firefighters from the early 1800s gathered rust in musty rooms until it was decided in 1981 that these brave men should have more significance than just dusty memories. Included is an 1831 hand pump, an parade carriage from 1893, and an early 20th-century street-corner fire alarm. Throughout the museum visitors will see what it takes to make it as a firefighter and the obstacles they face on the job. One display honors a group of firefighters who lost their lives when a propane tank exploded. The museum is run by volunteers with no admission fee and it is a great place to take the kids as well as anyone interested in what real heroes do.

Iron Island is not some piece of land you'll find in the middle of Lake Erie, this 'island' is actually in the Lovejoy Neighborhood of Buffalo. The oddly named museum is run under the auspices of the Iron Island Preservation Society of Lovejoy and the society's aim is to preserve the historical record of the area. Inside the museum, guests will find memorabilia, artistic renderings of buildings and photos of war veterans who lived in the area to an authentic, wooden altar from an 1896 church that once stood on the site. One other side note, it is said that the building is haunted by a ghost named 'Edgar', a war veteran who never had his remains buried.

At one point in time, Buffalo was a leading industrial center and home to several automobile manufacturers. This sprawling museum celebrates a special focus on one of Buffalo's own--Pierce Arrow. Most of the vehicles are from the personal collection of museum founder James Sandoro; other vehicles in the museum are on loan from various collectors from all over the country. The Buffalo-made Thomas Flyer is also on display, along with various automotive memorabilia including photos, paintings, household items, factory items, signs and more.

Ultimately the site of Theodore Roosevelt's inauguration as President of the United States following the assassination of William McKinley, this stately Greek Revival home has stood at 641 Delaware Avenue since the early 1800s. The building served as an emergency venue for Roosevelt's swearing-in ceremony that took place on 14th September 1901. The house has undergone a series of architectural changes over the centuries but retains an original structure that formed a part of the Buffalo Barracks compound. While the presidential office is by far the site's prime attraction, its onsite museum is equally impressive preserving exhibits from the Pan-American Exposition of 1901 among many others.

Set in a building constructed in 1901, the Buffalo History Museum is the ideal place to know the history of the city and county. It also gives a glimpse of life during the turn of the 20th Century. Chronicle the 150 years of history in the Research Library or explore the exhibit galleries like Rotary, Pioneer, the State Court, Erie County Room, Community Gallery and Native American Gallery. It was earlier called Buffalo Historical Society and Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society. This museum also has one of the finest collection of Pan-American Exposition artifacts.

Situated in Rockwell Hall on the Buffalo State College campus and close to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, this museum is dedicated primarily to the work of American watercolorist Charles Burchfield, who died in 1967. The Burchfield collection consists of almost 700 pieces of art; there are paintings, drawings, sketches, prints and even wallpaper designs displayed here. The museum also has a 5,800-piece collection that displays the work of Western New York artists in addition to many others around the country, including the Charles Rand Penney Roycroft Collection with objects made available by the Roycroft Campus community.

The Buffalo Museum of Science is dedicated to all things science, from cosmology and natural history to archaeology and zoology. One of the highlights is the several large imposing dinosaurs figurines. The museum also has one of the largest known Kodiak bear specimens in North America and its perfect for posing pictures. If you visit at night, you can visit the Kellogg observatory and take a look into the heavens (weather permitting). The museum also promotes science in the community among citizens as well as educators and researchers, with its various programs for children, families and schools held throughout the year.